Question: Suppose
\[\frac{1}{x^3-x^2-21x+45}=\frac{A}{x+5}+\frac{B}{x-3} + \frac{C}{(x - 3)^2}\]where $A$, $B$, and $C$ are real constants. What is $A$?
Answer: The $x+5$ and $(x-3)^2$ in the denominators suggest that these might be factors of $x^3-x^2-21x+45$. Indeed, we find that this polynomial equals $(x+5)(x-3)^2$. Clearing denominators, we find that
\[1=A(x-3)^2+ B(x + 5)(x - 3) + C(x + 5).\]Thus, when we substitute $x=-5$, we find that $(-5-3)^2A=64A=1$, so $A = \boxed{\frac{1}{64}}$.